Denver Nuggets Stage Comeback to Defeat Minnesota Timberwolves 4-3 in 2024 Western Conference Semifinals
Authored by sportsite777.com, May 01, 2026
The Denver Nuggets overcame an 0-2 deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-3 in the Western Conference semifinals of the 2024 NBA playoffs, advancing to the conference finals.[1][2]
Denver entered the best-of-seven series as favorites with regular-season odds around -215 to advance, reflecting their status as defending NBA champions and second seed in the West with a 57-25 record. Minnesota, the No. 3 seed at 56-26, boasted the league's top-ranked defense.[1][3][4]
The Timberwolves won the first two games at Target Center in Minneapolis: 106-99 on May 6 and 90-88 on May 8. Series odds shifted after the 2-0 lead, with Minnesota briefly listed as slight favorites by some sportsbooks.[1][4]
Denver won Games 3 and 4 at Ball Arena in Denver, 117-90 and 115-107, tying the series at 2-2. Minnesota regained the lead with a 112-90 victory in Game 5 at home. The Nuggets responded with a 115-70 rout in Game 6 and closed out the series with a 98-90 win in Game 7 on May 19 at Ball Arena.[1][2]
Nikola Jokić, who won the 2023-24 Kia MVP award, averaged 28.8 points, 13.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the series, shooting 58.8% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range. Those figures compared to his regular-season averages of 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists on 58.3% field-goal shooting.[1][5]
Rudy Gobert anchored Minnesota's defense, averaging 10.8 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while contesting Jokić effectively in several matchups. The series marked the first playoff meeting between the franchises.[1][2]
| Game | Date | Score | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 6 | MIN 106-99 DEN | Target Center, Minneapolis |
| 2 | May 8 | MIN 90-88 DEN | Target Center, Minneapolis |
| 3 | May 10 | DEN 117-90 MIN | Ball Arena, Denver |
| 4 | May 12 | DEN 115-107 MIN | Ball Arena, Denver |
| 5 | May 14 | MIN 112-90 DEN | Target Center, Minneapolis |
| 6 | May 16 | DEN 115-70 MIN | Ball Arena, Denver |
| 7 | May 19 | DEN 98-90 MIN | Ball Arena, Denver |
The Nuggets faced the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals, losing 4-2.[1]
Sources
- Basketball-Reference.com
Title: 2024 NBA Western Conference Semifinals - Timberwolves vs. Nuggets
Accessed: October 2024
https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2024-nba-western-conference-semifinals-timberwolves-vs-nuggets.html - NBA.com
Title: 5 takeaways from Nuggets 98-90 Game 7 win over Timberwolves
Publication date: May 20, 2024
https://www.nba.com/news/nuggets-timberwolves-game-7-takeaways-2024-nba-playoffs - ESPN
Title: 2024 NBA playoffs: Full schedule and results
Accessed: October 2024
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40011270/2024-nba-playoff-bracket-schedule-scores-results - The Action Network
Title: NBA Odds: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Game 3 prediction, odds, picks & best bets
Publication date: May 10, 2024
https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/denver-nuggets-minnesota-timberwolves-odds-pick-game-3-may-10-2024 - NBA.com
Title: Nikola Jokić wins 2023-24 Kia MVP award in closest race in 68 years
Publication date: May 8, 2024
https://www.nba.com/news/nikola-jokic-wins-2023-24-kia-mvp-award